Amazon announced plans to discontinue its free, ad-supported streaming platform Freevee, with the service’s content transitioning to Prime Video in the coming weeks. The change affects viewers in all territories where Freevee operates: the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, and Austria, Deadline reports.
An Amazon spokesperson outlined the company’s strategy per the outlet: “We have built Prime Video into a first-stop entertainment destination where customers can personalize their viewing experience by streaming exclusive Prime member entertainment produced by Amazon MGM Studios, licensed movies and series, content from other services as an add-on subscription, live sports, blockbuster movies and series to rent or buy, FAST Channels and the complete Amazon Freevee content offering.”
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The representative added: “To deliver a simpler viewing experience for customers, we have decided to phase out Freevee branding. There will be no change to the content available for Prime members, and a vast offering of free streaming content will still be accessible for non-Prime members, including select Originals from Amazon MGM Studios, a variety of licensed movies and series, and a broad library of FAST Channels – all available on Prime Video.”
Current Freevee programming, including original series like Jury Duty, Bosch: Legacy, and Judy Justice, will remain accessible without a paywall. New episodes of ongoing shows such as Neighbours, Tribunal Justice, America’s Test Kitchen: The Next Generation, along with previous originals including High School, Hollywood Houselift with Jeff Lewis, and Primo, will continue to be available to non-Prime subscribers.
The platform’s evolution traces back to January 2019, when Amazon subsidiary IMDb launched it as Freedive. Following rebrands as IMDb TV and later Freevee, the service experienced significant growth, with monthly active users reportedly increasing threefold between 2020 and 2022, reaching 65 million viewers, according to Deadline.
Recent months have already shown signs of integration between the platforms. Scripted series like American Rust: Broken Justice and the upcoming On Call had begun migrating to Prime Video before it introduced ads. The third and final season of Bosch: Legacy was announced for simultaneous release across both services, while newer series like The Pradeeps of Pittsburgh debuted on both platforms. Additionally, shows including Judy Justice, Tribunal Justice, and Hollywood Houselift With Jeff Lewis became available on Prime Video.
The consolidation follows Amazon’s late 2023 announcement about introducing advertisements to Prime Video starting January 29, 2024, which largely eliminated the distinction between the subscription-based Prime Video and the ad-supported Freevee, the outlet reports. Amazon also maintains ownership of the SVOD platform MGM+ through its acquisition of MGM.
Despite February 2024 statements defending Freevee as “an important streaming offering providing both Prime and non-Prime customers thousands of hit movies, shows, and originals, all for free,” signs of change were evident. The platform received minimal attention at Amazon’s Prime upfront presentation in May, where Prime Video dominated the company’s advertising pitch.
The service achieved notable success with Jury Duty, which garnered four Emmy nominations, including Outstanding Comedy Series. Other significant productions included Bosch: Legacy, which continued one of Prime Video’s flagship series.
Post-transition, content previously labeled as Freevee will be designated as “Watch for Free” on Prime Video detail pages. The platform’s existing content library includes popular titles such as The Lego Movie, The Good Wife, Shameless, Bewitched, and Project Runway. Select Amazon originals, like The Boys’ first three seasons and Fallout’s first episode, will remain available without a subscription.
No employment reductions are expected from this reorganization. Previous restructuring had already integrated Freevee’s content team into Amazon MGM Studios, while its business operations had been incorporated into Prime Video. However, recent developments include the cancellation of upcoming pitch meetings and pending deals for potential Freevee projects, reports Deadline. The change coincides with Prime Video’s broader evolution, including implementing new features such as AI-powered X-ray recap capabilities and a comprehensive platform redesign launched in the summer of 2023.
